Prince Charming
by Zadien
Summary: CH7Syaoran is the most charming boy in Tomeda High, and it's about time someone took him down a peg or 2. Enter Sakura. Will she fall for his charms? SS RR
1. The meet

Author's note: Hiya! I just wanted to get this idea out of my head. So plzzzzzzzz review, Plzzzzzzzzzzzzz? Saki and friends are all 17, and are at their last year in high school. So Summary is this, Syaoran is really popular and charming but he doesn't really think about the girls he dumps and so his cousins decide to take him down a peg or two so that he'll maybe think about them more. They enlist Sakura's help because she seems immune to him, but is she? Plzzzzz review.  
  
Disclaimer  
{Gems} new fic, new disclaimer, Z.D.  
{Zadien} I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura.   
  
~~*~~@~~*~~  
"Sakura!"  
  
"Hoeeee?!", A teenage girl with auburn hair and emerald eyes groaned as her books tumbled out of her open locker onto the cold lino floor of the school corridor. She knelt down and began to gather her books. "Mou, you don't have to be so loud. ", she complained rising.  
  
She yelped when her head hit of the metal door with a resounding whack. She winced. Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of something she'd never thought she'd see, Rika Sasaki and Syaoran Li walking hand in hand in their direction. She blamed her faulty vision on the bang to her head. She shook her head, then bundled her books into her locker before turning to greet the person who had arrived at her locker. She smiled as she caught sight of the long black violet tinted hair and Amethyst eyes of Tomoyo.   
  
"Ohayo Tomoyo."  
  
Tomoyo beamed brightly. "And how are you this wonderful morning.   
  
Sakura stifled a yawn. "Tired. I was up all night studying for this math's test."  
  
Her best friend of many years grinned. "And do you know it?"  
  
"Iie."  
  
"Oy, you're in early this morning. That's a first."  
  
Sakura smiled slightly. "Touya had the brainwave to set my alarm for five thirty in the morning."  
  
"Touya, but I thought he was at uni."  
  
"He was, is actually. But he got a week off for his dissertation and he decided to pay the family a nice visit. So he's staying for the week.", Sakura stretched softly, before sliding some books into her back pack. "Do you want to come over tonight? Otou-sans working late and Touya's going over to Yuki's to study. We could watch videos."  
  
"And I could get you to try on some of my outfits for the fashion parade. You should really do some modeling for me. And you'd look great on one of the floats."  
  
Sakura blushed at the compliment. "I'd love to Tomo, you know I would. But the Cheerleaders have their own performance, and I can't miss it, now can I?"  
  
Tomoyo looked at her sadly. "You don't want me to answer that do you?"  
  
"Tomoyo."  
  
Tomoyo frowned, then she caught sight of something over Sakura's shoulder and her face brightened again.   
  
"Why are you so happy? It's a Monday, with Math's as our first class."  
  
"Oh nothing. I just heard some really good news from Eriol last night."  
  
"What?"  
  
Tomoyo tapped her nose secretly. Sakura had no time to ask her when MeiLing walked up and yanked her locker door open.   
  
"Ohayo MeiLing.", Sakura greeted the raven haired girl with crimson eyes.  
  
"Ohayo Sakura, Tomoyo."  
  
"Ohayo MeiLing. Is something wrong?", Tomoyo asked tone concerned for her friend and boyfriends cousin.  
  
"Nothing. I suppose you heard.", she said pointedly.   
  
"Yeah I did. Isn't it great?"  
  
"I suppose. I just hope she knows what she's doing. That's all."  
  
Sakura watched the conversation confused. "What are you two talking about?"  
  
MeiLing opened her mouth to answer, but Tomoyo motioned for Sakura to look behind them. There walking towards them was Rika and Syaoran, hands clasped and smiling.  
  
"Uh-huh. I guess it wasn't the bump to the head.", she murmured.   
  
"Nani?", Tomoyo asked.   
  
"Oh nothing-"  
  
"Ohayo, Tomoyo, Sakura, MeiLing. How are you?", Rika asked cheerfully, with Syaoran by her side smiling at each and everyone of them, ignoring his cousins pointed looks.  
  
"Rika, I just heard. I am so happy for you.", Tomoyo squealed enveloping her friend in a rib crushing hug.   
  
"Arigatou Tomoyo.", Rika blushed, her pale skin taking on a tinge of pink. She tugged her short mahogany hair, diverting her deep brown eyes to meet Syaoran's.  
  
"Heard what?", Sakura asked as she rummaged in her locker.   
  
"Sakura, Rika and Syaoran are going out."  
  
Sakura's reply, "Oh that's great" was muffled by her head being stuck in the locker as she stretched to find her calculator.  
  
MeiLing laughed at her cousins troubled expression. Syaoran was use to woman falling at their feet to get to him. And why shouldn't he, with his amber eyes, unruly brown hair which helped make him one of the best looking guys in the school. He was never lonely, he was always with a girl who he'd date for several weeks then drop to move onto another. He wasn't use to any girl being immune to him. But that was exactly what Kinomoto Sakura was, immune to him.   
  
Finally Sakura's head emerged from her locker and she brandished her calculator triumphantly. She turned to Tomoyo, ignoring Syaoran completely, making the guy completely confused.   
  
"Where's Eriol?"  
  
Tomoyo paused in her appraising glance of Syaoran to look at her best friend, evading MeiLings' dark look. "He's around somewhere. Why?"  
  
"We have a Science project to hand in. I need to add a few extras to it."  
  
"I think I saw him heading towards the computer lab.", Syaoran supplied flashing her a charming smile.  
  
Sakura simply blinked at him. "Arigatou.", then headed off towards the computer lab.   
  
MeiLing watched her go oblivious to Syaoran's confused expression, and she grinned. Now Sakura may be able to help her put her plan into action, all she needed to do was to catch up with Eriol and ask him to tweak the finer details off the plan. She smiled brightly at her cousin, before racing off to catch up with her naive friend. 


	2. The plan part one

A.N. Arigatou for all the reviews, you guys all gave me an amazingly pleasant shock, you really liked that chapter. Not that I'm a bad writer or anything, it just usually takes a while for people to get into my stories. So thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews. It really lifted my mood.  
  
Ok, on with chapter two. The plan part one.  
  
~~*~~@~~*~~  
  
Sakura sat with her back against the wall with her legs stretched out in front of her, perfectly content with watching the world go by. On her left Eriol and Tomoyo were completely oblivious to her and the world around them. She smiled sunnily when she caught sight of Meiling standing above her. She slid down opposite Sakura and made a face at the couple. Sakura nodded.   
  
"So how was Math's?"  
  
"I failed, miserably. But it's ok."  
  
"Yeah but it was a difficult exam.", another voice butted in.  
  
Both girls looked up sharply then smiled welcomely at Yamasaki. "Hey you guys."  
  
"Hey Yamasaki. How are things with you are Chiharu?"  
  
"They're great."  
  
"You guys are sooo Kawaii.", Tomoyo interrupted. "And with Rika and Syaoran dating it's like so cool."  
  
Yamasaki smiled slightly but avoided her gaze. "Yeah, great."  
  
Tomoyo was too wrapped up in Eriol to even notice Yamasaki's dry retort, but MeiLing did. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I don't like Rika going out with Syaoran."  
  
"Why not?", Sakura asked softly.  
  
"She's too nice. She doesn't know the real him.", Yamasaki replied, MeiLing nodded.  
  
"It's true. He has hidden depths, that Rika just doesn't reach, nor will she ever. Because of that he'll get bored and drop her. This is her last year. It's too close to our final exams for her to get hurt like that. If she really likes him, then she may screw her exams up."  
  
"But she's really smart. Do you really think he'll affect her that badly?"  
  
"Yeah, I do.", Yamasaki said.  
  
"If he hurts her, I will seriously hurt him.", Sakura threatened.  
  
MeiLing laughed at Yamasaki's shocked face. "Don't worry Yamasaki."  
  
"Sakura?"  
  
"Gomen nasai. But if someone messes with a friend of mine, they mess with me. I like that motto.", she shrugged sheepishly.   
  
"And what motto is that?", another voice interrupted.  
  
For the second time in the past ten minutes, the group of friends looked up to see Syaoran and Rika towering above them. Syaoran waited for Sakura to answer his question. Sakura shook her head.  
  
"Iie, it's nothing.", she replied.  
  
"Demo, you said you liked the motto, I'm just wondering what it is?"  
  
"Syaoran leave Sakura alone, you big bully. If she doesn't want to answer then you can't force her.", Rika chided poking him in the arm playfully.   
  
Syaoran smiled painfully, but Meiling could see the annoyance which flared in those intense amber eyes. "Fine."  
  
"Isn't great how our boyfriends are friends?", Tomoyo grinned at Rika who beamed back.   
  
"Yeah, you guys could go on triple dates, and stuff.", Sakura commented completely missing the look of horror that crossed Syaoran's face, but as usual Meiling caught it and she laughed.  
  
It was a well known fact that Syaoran couldn't stand being alone with his cousin Eriol in a confined space, for any length of time. He would be driven insane with Eriols torment and coupled with Yamasaki's bouts of knowledge, he probably wouldn't survive a night with them. No correction they wouldn't survive a night with him. He glared at Sakura who merely smiled sweetly and incredibly innocently, as though she had no knowledge of his lack of tolerance for his cousin.  
  
Yamasaki grimaced in Syaoran's direction, as he watched his best friend's arms wound round Rika's slim waist. He glanced at Meiling who nodded somberly. She decided to take her chance while Syaoran wasn't paying her any attention, instead he was tugging absently at Rika's hair. She glanced at Yamasaki and nodded her head to the side, a motion to tell him to leave. He nodded, and stood up, hauling Eriol to his feet.  
  
"Hey, um we're going to start practicing that new song that you showed us Syaoran.", Yamasaki lied.  
  
Syaoran frowned. "Won't you need me to drum?"  
  
"Ah, no, we'll just practice the bass and the electric guitar with the vocals.", Meiling quickly added.  
  
"Why's Eriol going?"  
  
"He needs to tune the guitar, Syaoran."  
  
Sakura looked up at them. "Can I watch?"  
  
"Don't you want to hang with us, Saki?", Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Gomen nasai guys, but, I'll only feel like a gooseberry. But arigatou for the offer. Meiling?"  
  
"Well, if you sure?", Meiling waited until Sakura nodded. "Ok, come on."  
  
Sakura pushed herself to her feet and rushed after her band friends, who were laughing as Yamasaki played the air guitar.  
  
Syaoran watched them go completely bewildered. Sakura never even looked at him. She was strange, some might have said immune to his charm, but Syaoran knew better. No girl had been, or was immune to his charm. They may not like him enough to go out with him, but he was a popular guy, and they always liked to be associated with him. They got flustered when he messed with him, and they laughed at his jokes, others just drooled over him, and he liked the attention. But Sakura Kinomoto seemed totally immune. When he talked to her, she seemed desperate to get away from him and this bothered him, more than he liked to admit.  
  
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't hear Rika ask him a question about where they should go on their triple date. He just grunted and shrugged. And when she gave him her 'hurt' look, he smiled and flashed her one of his famous smiles. She sighed happily and returned to coming up with suggestions with Tomoyo. He sat down beside her and occupied himself with playing with her hair.  
  
***  
  
In the gym Sakura watched, as she did many evenings after school, as Eriol tuned Meiling's guitar and Yamasaki geared up his bass. This was how she had first got to know these three and Syaoran too. She didn't head immediately home after school, sometimes she had cheerleading other days she just hung out with Tomoyo. But when Tomoyo started going out with Eriol, Sakura started spending more days on her own. Until she accidentally stumbled upon their rehearsals. Yamasaki she knew from being introduced to him by Eriol and Tomoyo and Meiling she knew from classes. Her best friend Naoko was Saki's lab partner, so she started to get to know them better.   
  
Syaoran, although nice and friendly, make her feel awkward and no sooner had he joined the conversation, than she needed to leave it. It also had a lot to do with Naoko, who had a crush on Syaoran at the time, and seemingly he led her on, by talking to her and flirting with her but then he had phoned her up one night to tell her that he was going out with some other girl, one Naoko couldn't stand. Sakura could have hit him for that alone, but she felt she might jeopardize her budding friendship with Yamasaki and Meiling, but this time she would seriously damage the guy if he dared to hurt Rika.  
  
Sakura was so busy in her own thoughts that she didn't hear Meiling and the boys hushed conversation.  
  
"Meiling, this is messing with people's feelings.", Yamasaki warned, dark eyes narrowed. "More to the point my *best* friends' feelings."  
  
"My *cousins'* too, but he does it all the time anyway. Besides you said yourself that you didn't like him going out with Rika."  
  
"I don't but that's not the point."  
  
"Meiling, Yamasaki's right. Another point I thought I'd mention is the fact that Rika's going to get hurt if this continues."  
  
"She's going to get hurt anyway, Eriol. Listen we'll just be helping fate along, and we'd just happen to be doing the world some justice by giving Syaoran a taste of his own medicine."  
  
"Medicine, what medicine, Meiling?! Rika's going to get hurt."  
  
"Yes, and I'm sorry that has to happen. Besides it might not, if he changes the habit of a lifetime and leaves Sakura alone."  
  
"What makes you think he likes Sakura?", Yamasaki yelled exasperated, dragging a hand through his dark black hair.  
  
All of them blanched, then looked in the direction of the girl in question, but she was totally oblivious to their conversation, humming along to herself. Meiling punched Yamasaki on the arm, and smiled as he winced. Eriol pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.   
  
"Well Meiling?", he asked, blue eyes lit with mischief.  
  
"Because, Sakura's a challenge, a Li never backs down from a challenge, especially Syaoran. And with a little push from a certain blue haired cousin? He won't know what's hit him.", she said gleefully as her plan began to fall into place.  
  
A.N. Well what did you all think? Huh? Well this is kind of based on stuff that's going on at school and what I think should happen. So plzzzzzzzzzzz review. Plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I'll give y'all a lolly....... 


	3. Implementing the plan

A.N. Here's the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy and thanks for the reviews. I really appreciated it.  
  
Disclaimer:  
{Gems} Z.D.!! You have to do the disclaimer!  
{Zadien} Yeah I'm about to. I. do. not. own. CCS.   
  
~~*~~@~~*~~  
  
Sakura pushed her food around the plate in the cafeteria. She glanced up at Meilin who was playing with her drum sticks, battering them against the side of the table. Naoko was staring off into space. Every time Sakura stole a glance at the table where Tomoyo, Rika and Chiharu were sitting with their boyfriends, Syaoran would intercept them and smirk at her. She'd smile back and continue her study of the people in the school.   
  
"Naoko, dai jobu?", Sakura wondered outloud concerned for her friend.   
  
Naoko jerked out of what ever she was thinking and smiled. "Hai, I'm fine. So how was school today?"  
  
Sakura made a face. "It was good, but today is not over yet."  
  
Naoko nodded, tucking her shoulder length brown hair behind her ears. "These days are so long."  
  
"Hey are you coming to my gig tonight?", Meilin asked suddenly.  
  
"Don't you mean 'our' gig. You're not the only one in the band.", Naoko chided. "There's Yamazaki and Eriol, the sound man."  
  
"And Syaoran.", Sakura added not seeing the wince of pain that filtered over Naoko's face.  
  
"Ok, so it's not just my gig, but still, back to the original question. Are you guys coming?"  
  
Sakura glanced at Naoko, then her gaze drifted to Tomoyo, who was in deep conversation with Rika and at the same time feeding Eriol. "Well if everyone else is going, I will."  
  
"Naoko?"   
"Oh, I don't know Meilin, I really want to, I don't want to deal with, you know.....", she trailed off.   
  
Meilin nodded, knowing what her best friend was talking about. Sakura just looked at Naoko and smiled.   
  
"Please go, Naoko, I don't want to be stuck in the middle of a group of couples. It'll be soo weird. I'll be a third wheel.", she whined.  
  
Naoko sighed. "I guess I'll come, but only for you Saki."  
  
Sakura beamed gratefully. This was exactly what she wanted. A night out with her best friends and some great music. Her only fear had been to be stuck on her own, while the others made out. She would only feel lonely then. But now Naoko would be there to keep her company and Meilin as well. The three of them could make fun of the others. It would be fun. Plus something was wrong with Naoko, she may have been dense. But she was Sakura Kinomoto, and she always knew there was something wrong with her friends, even if she knew nothing was wrong with herself. And there was something wrong with Naoko, all she had to do was find out what it was.   
  
"This is sooo sugoi. I'll have all my biggest fans out in the crowd for me."  
  
"Yeah well we better get in, Meilin, because it would seriously bite, if we couldn't get in."  
  
"Don't worry I'll pull some strings.", Meilin smirked as she caught sight of Syaoran watching their table, while stroking Rika's hair.  
  
***  
  
At the other table, the conversation was quite similar. Tomoyo was gushing about all the outfits she was going to make for the band and what they were going to wear. Chiharu slapped Yamasaki around the ear as he launched into another one of his lies about where band costumes originated from. Rika giggled on witnessing it.  
  
"Hey Yamasaki, do you carry ice packs with you for when she does that?"  
  
Yamasaki opened his mouth to say something and closed it abruptly on catching sight of his girlfriends threatening glare. The three girls laughed.  
  
"They are so Kawaii!", Tomoyo exclaimed happily.  
  
Rika grinned. "Yeah, they're so perfect for each other. So guys how exactly do you plan to get us into the club?"  
  
Eriol shrugged. "I'm not really sure."  
  
"Hey Syaoran knows one of the bouncers, don't you, Li?", Yamasaki stated.  
  
There was no reply. Every one glanced at Syaoran, who was paying no attention to them. Eriol and Yamasaki followed his gaze and exchanged glances before smirking. Eriol nudged his cousin.  
  
"Looking at the unattainable Sakura, my cute little cousin?", he asked softly, so that only he and Syaoran could here him, and Yamasaki of course could guess.  
  
Syaoran snapped his gaze from the auburn headed girl and pinned his cousin with his gaze. "What are you talking about?", he hissed, glancing nervously at his girlfriend.   
  
"Sakura, you were staring at her. I admit she's incredibly beautiful, but way out of your league."  
  
Male pride was bruised. "No one is out of my league."  
  
"Oh really. I guess your right. She must be simply immune to your charm, because I haven't once seen her even so much as glimpse in your direction unless she had a good reason."   
  
"So what?! I don't care. I like Rika, why would it bother me if her friend doesn't like me?", he asked nonchalantly.  
  
"Then why were you paying Saki attention, and ignoring Rika?", Eriol asked in the same bored tone.  
  
Syaoran's eyes narrowed at the auburn beauty with the impossibly large emerald eyes. She wasn't unattainable, or immune to his charm. No girl was. Eriol should know that, after all even Tomoyo wasn't immune. Maybe he should prove it to him, but still he didn't want to lose Rika to keep his male ego. That would be fruitless, but still if Rika didn't hear about it....  
  
"Syaoran? Earth to Li?"  
  
A voice pierced his thoughts. He glanced round to find everyone staring at him. "What?"  
  
"Do you know a bouncer at the club?"  
  
"Hai, why?"  
  
"Because, cutie, us girls aren't old enough to get in. How will we get in, unless you have inside connections.", Rika explained.  
  
"Hai, I do. Who do I need to get in?"  
  
"Well there's our girlfriends.", Eriol started. "Oh and Naoko and Sakura."  
  
Eriol didn't miss the twitch of the muscle in her cousins cheek. He glanced at Meilin, and nodded. The seed was planted. All they had to wait was for it to bloom and blossom. Meilin smiled.   
  
***  
  
Sakura slowly exited the school slowly at the end of the school day. Every one was so excited about what was going on this tonight. She had to admit it was going to be fun. A load of her friends hanging out at a bar and listening to her friends band playing and rocking the club. It would be so much fun. She glanced around her at all the students bubbly conversing about the nights gig. She smiled. This was great for Meilin, for her to finally get her big break. Maybe this would lead on to bigger and better things for her friend. She hadn't hung out with all her friends before.   
  
Usually it was just the little groups. Her and Tomoyo, her and Meilin and Naoko, or her and Chiharu and Rika. It would be a great night out with her friends. Her only fear was about not getting in. She looked incredibly young, she had trouble getting into Cert 15 films at the cinema. Getting into a over 18's club without ID would be a teency bit more difficult.   
  
Tomoyo had told her that Syaoran knew a bouncer, but she was apprehensive if he would get her in. She didn't know him that well. He was Eriol's and Meilin's cousin and Rika's boyfriend, but nothing to her. Except that every time he was around she got an uneasy feeling and also that every time she looked around he was staring at her. It bugged her and made her feel she had something on her face. She didn't like feeling self conscious. It wasn't nice.  
  
She knelt down on the pavement and began to put on her blades. She sighed heavily and rose to her feet. She felt a tingling sensation on the back of her neck. Turning round she scanned the area for what was attacking her senses. Her gaze locked with an intense gaze of the person she had been thinking about a few minutes ago. She felt him read everything in her mind and she felt blood rush to cheeks. She quickly turned and fled down the street. Missing the look of confusion in the figures amber eyes.  
  
~~*~~@~~*~~  
  
Plzzzzzz review! Plllzzzzzzzzz. 


	4. Concerts and Yuki, another plan

A.N. Yay, I like the pretty reviews. This is a longer chapter, so I hope you enjoy, though it is just mindless babble. So if you enjoy please review, and if you don't enjoy please review, because frankly I don't give a damn if people give me flames, I have a habit of putting them out with an extinguisher. OK so I'm gonna go to the cinema to see X-men2 so please enjoy. And read my other books, *Bitter Revenge and Cherished Hope.* and *Searching*.  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
{Z.D.} I don't own CCS.  
  
{Gems} I'm good, now she says it without my prompting. I think she's matured.  
  
{Z.D.} You make me sound like cheese. Any way on with the story.  
  
~~*~~@~~*~~  
  
Sakura lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. In an hour or so she would have to get up and start getting ready for her night out. Sighing she turned over on to her stomach. She lifted the photo of her mother of the bedside table and began to trace the outline of her mothers face. Everything was whirling round her head, so fast and so thick. She knew something was bothering her, but she couldn't decipher what it was.   
  
She was still uneasy about what would happen tonight. Would she get in or would she be left to wander the streets until someone picked her up? Then there was Li. She knew it was ridiculous but she really felt as though he had known she'd been thinking about him after school. She got a bad feeling about him. He seemed nice, and perfectly polite, and when he spoke to you he made you feel as though you were the only person in the room, or so Tomoyo said. It was no wonder Rika and every other girl had fallen for him. But she could see through the act, and she didn't like what she'd heard Yamasaki say the day before, that Li would hurt Rika, like all the others.  
  
Would he really do that? And more to the point, how would Rika react? She wouldn't do anything stupid, Saki at least knew that. Rika was the schools agony aunt, she wouldn't give advise to people and not take it herself. Sakura felt confident that Rika wouldn't do anything, but....she shook her head, and sat up on the bed.   
  
"I'll watch out for her, mom.", she whispered to the photo, and for a brief second it felt as though her mother had smiled directly at her.  
  
She reached over her bed to replace the photo. "Ok, so now what am I going to wear to night?", she wondered out loud, lifting Kero her cat from tangling her legs on to the bed.  
  
She crossed to her wardrobe and began to slide the clothes over the bar, in order to get a better view of what she owned. Before she had gotten very far, she heard the familiar ring of her cell phone. She smiled as she walked over to get it, knowing immediately that the Tomeda High Fashion police was on the other end. She lifted the phone and cast an inquisitive glance at the caller ID. As predicted Tomoyo's number flashed on the LCD screen.  
  
She pressed the little green button and answered. "Moshi Moshi, Sakura speaking."  
  
"Hey Saki, what are you wearing tonight?"  
  
"Hi Tomoyo, and how are you? I'm fine thanks for asking."  
  
"Oh right, that's good, I'm fine aswell. Just a little exhausted from making all these costumes. So what are you going to wear?"  
  
"I don't know yet, I was just checking."  
  
Tomoyo gasped. "You were only just checking there now?", she exclaimed. "Demo, you won't have enough time to get you hair done, make-up and clothes chosen. It's a good thing I phoned when I did. Hey I've got just the perfect outfit for you. I'm coming over right now."  
  
"Is there anything you want me to do?"  
  
"Yes, go get a shower and wash your hair, and I will do the rest.", Tomoyo ordered in her best I'm in charge tone.  
  
Sakura nodded and listened to the dial tone. -' I just had to answer the phone didn't I?!'  
  
***  
  
A good time later, Sakura emerged from her room with Tomoyo behind her. She took and unsteady step in the large black platform like boots Tomoyo had lent her. She gulped as she caught sight of the stairs in front of her. She looked back at her best friend and fashion designer.  
  
"Tomoyo, I don't think I can walk in these."  
  
"Sure you can. Just put the heel down first and follow with your toe. Like this.", Tomoyo showed her effortlessly, in her higher boots, she almost towered above her best friend.   
  
All Sakura could think was that it was a damn good thing that Eriol was a good head taller than his girlfriend otherwise he would get a kink in his neck. She smiled at that thought, then took a wobbly step down the stairs. Much to her credit she managed to not stumble and fall.   
  
It was at this precise moment that Touya decided to come out of his room to get a drink. He stared at the stairs, where his kid sister and her best friend were attempting to walk on stilts. He shook his head. He had no clue why women wanted to be taller. It wasn't in their gene pool so why couldn't they let it be? And the whole idea that by wearing boots almost the height of their knees would make them look older, was almost laughable. Almost because most of the time they suffered serious injuries.   
  
He then frowned as he got a better look at what his sister was wearing. A pink halter top, with a long sleeved black see-through top over it and a short black skirt. While Tomoyo was wearing a deep blue midriff top, covered by a purple leather jacket, and tight black jeans. He clapped his hands to his mouth as he witnessed Sakura go over her ankle, and complain some more to her best friend.   
  
"Hey Kaijuu where are going dressed like that?", he asked approaching them.  
  
Sakura wobbled, as she whipped round to face her brother, losing her footing, she grabbed for her best friend to steady her.   
  
"Take that back Touya, I'm not a monster. Why don't you come over here and say that to my face?", she added thinking on the damage she could to with the boots.  
  
Touya grinned. "I like my feet the way they are."  
  
Sakura growled frustrated and stormed down the stairs forgetting her initial worries about the boots. Tomoyo smiled brightly at him, then followed her angry friend.  
  
***  
  
Meilin paced the stage uneasily. Around her people were tuning their guitars and drumming their beats, performing sound checks for the nights battle of the bands. Butterflies were fluttering round her stomach, making her uneasy, and she had a desperate need for the toilet again. Nerves were the worse possible thing about performing, but she knew once she was on stage she would be fueled by the buzz of adrenaline, which accompanied the rush of excitement. A figure tapping restlessly on his drums, caught her attention, and she had to wonder where she had seen him before. But it never came to her.   
  
She watched Eriol sip a lemonade while he talked to another band member. On the other side of the room Yamasaki was talking heatedly to another guitar player. She had no clue where her cousin was and this wasn't doing her nerves any good. Dotted around the room were other people she recognized from school who gave her thumbs up and her outfit, supplied by Tomoyo, looks of approval. Meilin didn't need them, she knew she looked good. She wore black leather knee high boots, with a chunky heel and sole, fish net tights and a plain black skirt. Her blouse was sleeveless silk with a rounded high neck. Her hair was streaked with red, and piled messily in two bunches, with pieces hanging down in various thickness. Her make up was simple, ruby red lipstick, liquid eye liner and mascara, with black eye shadow.   
  
She strutted off the stage and moved towards Eriol. "So how's everything going, with our favorite egotistical cousin?"  
  
"Fine, he just needs a little persuasion. Nothing too hard to handle. I still don't like this Meilin. Both Rika and Saki are innocent. I know you're doing this to get revenge for Naoko but do you really think all this is necessary?"  
  
Meilin looked down at the floor, stubbing her foot against a leg of a table. "He needs to learn that he can't mess with others feelings. I'm not doing this to be mean to Rika or Saki, they're my friends after all. I don't want to hurt them, and if I could use anyone else in this, I would. But Rika happens to be dating him, and Saki is the only one oblivious to him.", she said quietly.  
  
Eriol took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We should at least tell Saki, at least that way we can be sure that she won't succumb to his charms."  
  
"But she's oblivious to them."  
  
He shook his head, remembering what his cute cousin had said earlier. "No one is immune to Xiao Langs charms, Meilin. Not even sweet innocent Sakura Kinomoto. In fact she might be naive enough to fall for them, if Syaoran takes his charms up a notch. You know he always gets what he wants, and that may lead to Saki getting hurt as well as Rika.", he sipped his drink. "No I think the best thing to do is to tell Saki, that way she'll know it's a bet of sorts, and she'll not fall for it, and Syaoran will learn his lesson."  
  
Meilin's smile was bitter sweet. "I know you're right. I just don't know how Saki will take it."  
  
Her cousin sighed knowing what she meant. And more, he feared for what would happen when Tomoyo found out. There would be all hell to pay. And it wouldn't matter that both Yamasaki and Meilin had taken part, he would be the one paying. He just hoped it wouldn't be with his relationship.  
  
***  
  
Naoko grinned and twirled so that Rika and Chiharu could admire her outfit. She wore black skirt, top, fishnet tights, heeled shoes, and a brown leather jacket. Rika was wearing a pale peach spaghetti strapped top, and black trousers, while Chiharu wore cream jacket over a white halter top and black trousers.  
  
"You look great. So you out for a man tonight Naoko?"  
  
Naoko shrugged. "Maybe, depends on the talent."  
  
Chiharu grinned. "Well we'll have to see what the other bands look like, won't we?"  
  
"Our band will be the cutest. There's no doubting that.", Rika said softly, as she observed other band members walking up and down the stairs.   
  
Naoko exchanged glances with the other two, and nodded. "Well I guess we go upstairs.", she hurriedly motioned for the other two to follow, as she caught sight of a guy who was leering uncomfortably at her legs.  
  
***  
  
"Tomoyo stop fussing already.", Sakura commanded, as for the fifth time in the last ten minutes Tomoyo tried to fix her hair, which resembled a birds nest, Touya had said.  
  
The other girls smirked, glad it wasn't their hair Tomoyo was fiddling with. She had already tried to touch Meilins mess, but one death glare from the Chinese girl had Tomoyo backing off. Unfortunately Sakura lacked the threatening look, that Meilin had perfected.  
  
"Ouch, Tomo, you pulled some of my hair out that time. Just because you can't fix my hair, does not mean you can pull it out.", Sakura whined. "Ouch! Ok, that it where's Eriol. I need Eriol."  
  
"What's wrong, and why are you calling my name?", a certain blue hair boyfriend asked, then frowned. "Tomoyo have you been attacking Saki?"  
  
Tomoyo squirmed under his scrutiny. "I was bored, and I couldn't find you."  
  
"So she decided to make me bald.", Sakura announced, taking the offered drink from Yamasaki who had just joined them with drinks for all of them.   
  
Tomoyo made her favorite innocent face. "I didn't mean to."  
  
"I know you didn't. ", her boyfriend soothed. "How about I help keep you from being bored?"  
  
Tomoyo brightened and as their lips met, the world around them dissolved and the only ones left were them. The others shook their heads, and turned back to other areas of conversation.   
  
"Hey they found their boyfriend, where's mine?", Rika wondered out loud.  
  
The others turned to her and shrugged. "I haven't seen him.", Sakura offered, then she looked round, "Hey where's Naoko?"  
  
"I think she went to the bathroom." Meilin said, then she glanced at Sakura. "I'll check the bathrooms, you check the bar."  
  
"Hey what about me?", Rika wondered. "I don't want to be left here alone."  
  
Meilin shot her a dark look, but she bit back a retort. "You're boyfriend's coming.", she informed her coldly, pointing in the direction of the stage where Syaoran was approaching.  
  
***  
  
Syaoran trailed a finger over Rika's arm as he stared off into space. Rika was in deep discussion with Chiharu over which singer was best, Bryan Adams or Celine Dion. He bit back a growl. Unfortunately no matter how much he liked his girlfriend, she had bad taste in music. She liked pop music or soul. That was something he could never see himself singing to. He liked his drum beats, and battering the drums. It was one of his favorite past times.   
  
Everyone else at their table was absorbed either in their other half or with someone else's other half. Yamasaki had decided to fall asleep. Though he couldn't think of how he had managed to fall asleep with the thumping music and the odd harsh wail of an electric guitar. He had the brief consideration of throwing a drink over his best friend to wake him, but it hadn't panned out, seeing Eriol had drank the rest of his drink, and the other glasses were empty.   
  
Sighing he leaned back on the booth, and rested his head on the back of it. Out of curiosity he scanned the crush of people for his cousin. Meilin had left with Kinomoto when he'd been heading over to them half an hour ago, and so far she hadn't returned. He reached over to angle Rika's arm so he could read the time. Rika broke of from her conversation with Chiharu to look at him.  
  
"Hey, something wrong?"  
  
"Just wondering what time it was. We're due up there in fifteen minutes.", he said smoothly.  
  
She smiled. "You nervous?"  
  
He shook his head. "Iie, just wondering where Meilin is."  
  
"She and Sakura went to look for Naoko. Oh hey, there's Sakura over there. Meilin shouldn't be too long.", she pointed out the auburn hair girl and his gaze sought out the area she pointed out.  
  
There Sakura stood talking to a silver headed man, who looked several years older than her. Syaoran frowned. "Now who's he?", he said softly under his breath, as he watched the girl smile brilliantly at the older man.  
  
"Hey, Tomo, you never said Yuki would be here.", Meilin said joining them with Naoko.  
  
Tomoyo broke away from Eriol and looked up at them with annoyance. "Nani?"  
  
"Yuki over there with Sakura.", Naoko supplied.  
  
Tomoyo sat up and looked over to where Sakura was standing. "Hmm, I didn't know he would be here. I thought he'd be studying with Yuki, I guess his band is entering the competition."  
  
Meilin gasped. "That means Saki will be cheering for them instead of us."  
  
"Why?", Syaoran asked.  
  
"Well she likes Yuki, as in *Likes* Yuki.", Rika said emphasizing the likes.  
  
"Hai, but she's your friend.", Syaoran said to Meilin.  
  
"Hai, demo, that's different. If it comes to just them against us, she'll go for them."  
  
"No, that's not true, Saki will give you guys equal support.", Chiharu reassured.   
  
They watched as Saki laughed at something Yuki said, and she tucked her hair behind her ear. Syaoran observed her silently. She never seemed so relaxed around him, and she never seemed to want to stay around when he was there. But this guy made her relaxed and happy. He immediately wondered what this guy had, that could make her so at ease around him.   
  
"He's a drummer too.", Naoko added, piercing his thoughts.  
  
"Seems you've got some competition, cuz.", Eriol said, only four people at their table got the double meaning.  
  
***  
  
Sakura approached the others with a smile. She hadn't been expecting to see Yuki there, and it seemed as though the others hadn't been expecting it either, As they were now watching her as she walked towards them. Tomoyo was watching her with a frown, her face was mirrored by Syaoran, who looked extremely awkward. Meilin was smiling her devil smile.  
  
"Hey guys, Meilin aren't you supposed to be up there now?"  
  
"Hai, we are.", she said pulling her cousins to there feet, followed by Yamasaki.  
  
When they were gone, the rest of the girls turned to her. "So, you were talking to Yuki, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, he's entered his band in and they were wondering would you sing for them Tomoyo, because their main singer's suffering with a sore throat."  
  
"I can't, that would be betraying Eriol."  
  
"No it wouldn't, it would be helping out a friend."  
  
Tomoyo sighed. "I don't know. Maybe."  
  
They didn't get to say anymore as Meilin took to the stage. "Hey minna, hope you're enjoying tonight. I would like to introduce you to Claustrophobia."  
  
The crowd cheered wildly. "Arigatou, well my names Meilin, and I'll be your vocalist as well as Bass guitarist. To my left is Yamasaki."  
  
Chiharu screamed. "That's my boyfriend."  
  
The girls stared at her, and she smiled sheepishly. "Well he is."  
  
"To my right, is Eriol on the mixing desk, and our little drummer boy is Syaoran."  
  
Of course all the females in the room lost it, well everyone except Sakura and surprisingly Rika. Tomoyo stopped clapping and looked at her confused. "Rika?"  
  
"He doesn't need me cheering if every other girl is."  
  
Sakura sighed hearing the tightness of her friends voice. She glowered at Syaoran then her frown turned into a smile as she listened to the first chords of 'Zombie'  
  
Meilins voice soothed the air and calmed the crowds with the sincerity of her tone.   
  
"Another head hangs lowly,   
  
Child is slowly taken.  
  
And the violence caused such silence,   
  
Who are we mistaken?"  
  
Sakura smiled proudly at one of her best friends and watched her as she basked in the glory of the crowd. This was were Meilin shone, on stage with everyone watching her.   
  
"But you see, it's not me, it's not my family.   
  
In your head, in your head they are fighting,   
  
With their tanks and their bombs, And their bombs and their guns.   
  
In your head, in your head, they are crying..."  
  
Tomoyo waved subtly at Eriol and felt her heart leap as he grinned back at her.   
  
"In your head, in your head,  
  
Zombie, zombie, zombie,  
  
Hey, hey, hey. What's in your head,  
  
In your head,  
  
Zombie, zombie, zombie?  
  
Hey, hey, hey, hey, oh, dou, dou, dou, dou, dou..."  
  
Meilin faded off so that Yamasaki could have his solo. His fingers strummed easily and effortlessly over the strings, getting the desired effect.   
  
"Another mother's breakin',  
  
Heart is taking over.  
  
When the vi'lence causes silence,  
  
We must be mistaken."  
  
"I can't see anymore.", Sakura whined to Naoko.   
  
Naoko nodded, then tugged on Sakura's hand and they climbed up on to the booth. They waved their arms in the air as Meilins voice soared through the speakers.   
  
"It's the same old theme since nineteen-sixteen.  
  
In your head, in your head they're still fighting,  
  
With their tanks and their bombs,  
  
And their bombs and their guns.  
  
In your head, in your head, they are dying..."  
  
Syaoran looked out at the women, then at the two particular women in their corner. Sakura was leaning on Naoko as she laughed at something the usually quiet book worm said. They were swaying to the music, and shouting out the lyrics. He read Sakura's lips perfectly. He shook his head then grinned as he caught sight of Rika climbing up beside them. She waved to him and then said something to Sakura who burst out laughing, almost falling off the booth.  
  
"In your head, in your head,  
  
Zombie, zombie, zombie,  
  
Hey, hey, hey. What's in your head,  
  
In your head,  
  
Zombie, zombie, zombie?  
  
Hey, hey, hey, hey, oh, oh, oh,  
  
Oh, oh, oh, oh, hey, oh, ya, ya-a..."  
  
The crowd went wild as they launched into another song.  
  
***  
  
Several hours later they stepped out of the club, with Sakura and Syaoran trying her best to hold up an extremely drunk Rika. Sakura glared at Syaoran. It was all his fault, if he hadn't kept supplying her with drinks and taunting Sakura about not drinking, Rika would never have taken those drinks to prove herself to him. Syaoran gaze flicked across to Sakura. She was glaring at him as she had been doing for the past hour, ever since Rika had fallen off her chair giggling.  
  
Meilin frowned as she watched the two people in front of her glare at each other. She glanced over and Eriol and Yamasaki who were supporting their tired girlfriends. Yamasaki shrugged, while Eriol smirked, another plan forming in his head.  
  
A.N. PLease review. PLzzzzzzz and check out my other stories, plzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!! 


	5. The bet

A.N. Well I'm back again, and I'm totally exhausted, it will be ages til I update again because I have my Leaving Cert coming up, I've four other stories to write for and they'll take priority. So thanks to all my reviewers, sorry if I didn't e-mail you, but I didn't have time to night. And I'm equally sorry if this chapter was shit. I just want to thank Stevie, Richard, Joe and Matthew for letting me here stand by me perfromed live by a rock back, they were great.   
  
Disclaimer:   
  
{Z.D.} CCS does not belong to me.  
  
[muffled voice from cupboard]  
  
{Z.D.} Gomen nasai Gems, but Haha. On with my story and remember to review, makes my day so much better.  
  
~~*~~@~~*~~  
  
Sakura sat frozen on the grass still reeling from the secret which Meilin had just let her in to, and to be frank, Sakura had wished she hadn't. What Meilin had told her was something Sakura couldn't believe. She, Eriol and Yamasaki were trying to bring Syaoran's ego down a peg or two and they were using her against him. Sakura couldn't believe it, and it wasn't just that, she just couldn't see what she could do to damage his alter persona. But supposedly she was immune to his charms, which wasn't necessarily true, it was just that she was too busy worrying about everyone else to deal with him. But in a way it made sense, if Eriol had said something to Li, to make him charm her, then that would explain why Syaoran had suddenly taken an interest in what she was doing, recently, even when she had blatantly told him that she was still pissed about what happened to Rika during the gig.   
  
Though that wasn't like her at all, she chided herself, she was usually ready to forgive everyone of their grievances. There was just something about him that wouldn't allow her to let go of her anger towards him. Maybe it was the fact that Rika was slowly changing, becoming more withdrawn and she was continuously blowing them off. Sakura held that against Li as well. Now she was angry with him for trying to seduce her while going out with Rika, it was just wrong.  
  
But Meilin, Eriol and Yamasaki weren't any better. They were toying with peoples feelings and messing with fate. If Li and Rika were meant to be and they were interfering, it could have dire consequences for everyone. Then again, now that she knew she could do everything in her power to stop Li from hurting Rika. She would just not let him get to her, but she would do by remaining true to herself. She wasn't going to change for anyone.  
  
Meilin stared at her friend, who hadn't moved since she had broken the news. Sakura just sat there, Indian style on the freshly mowed grass, staring into space. After several minutes of deafening silence Meilin grew impatient and poked Sakura in the side. The girl yelped and squirmed away from the offensive finger, causing Meilin to chuckle.  
  
Sakura's gaze snapped to Meilin, and her eyes narrowed. "If I agree to help you make Syaoran a better person, what would I have to do?"  
  
"Ignore him every time he tries to charm you, and believe me he will, especially since Eriol's gonna make a bet with him."  
  
"But what about Rika, she'll get hurt."  
  
"No, if this makes him a better person, she'll be happier."  
  
Sakura frowned. "She likes him the way he is."  
  
"But he doesn't like her as much as he should.", Meilin pointed out objectively.  
  
Sakura mulled over what her Chinese friend said and sighed. She didn't like this one bit, but there wasn't anything really she could do about it. The plan had been implemented and she was an accessory whether she liked it or not. Why did her life have to be so complicated?  
  
"Ok, Lin, all I have to say is that I'm not going to act any different to Li, but at least now I know that it's only for a bet.", she decided, then added softly under her breath. "Only for a bet."  
  
"Arigatou Sakura, you're the bestest best friend ever.", Meilin squealed not hearing anything Sakura had just mumbled.  
  
Before she could say anymore to Sakura, a voice was carried over the breeze to them. Both of them looked round nervously, like children with their hands caught in the cookie jar. A blond youth with royal sapphire blue eyes, was heading their way. He waved cheerily, and Sakura returned it with equal enthusiasm.  
  
"Hey Sakura, Meilin, how's things going?"  
  
"Hey Benji, things are good. ", Sakura replied looking pointedly at Meilin, before adding. "What about you?"  
  
Benjamin Chen grinned, not missing the look that passed between the two girls. "Yeah, I'm just on my way to the ware house to practice, you coming along?"  
  
Sakura blanched a little, remembering that she had promised Yuki that she would sing in his band, after their singer retired with tonsillitis, and after Tomoyo refused, saying it would be betraying her boyfriend.   
  
"Oh I forgot that it was today. Ano, ok I'll come with you."  
  
Benji glanced at Meilin and his smile brightened. "So you ready for the battle of the bands final?"  
  
Meilin smirked. "Don't get too cocky, Claustrophobia is going to wipe the floor with your band, what's its name again?", she wondered with mock confusion.  
  
"Sins of Chaos, and I think being cocky is better than being nervous. I heard Li broke ten drum sticks, and three cymbals during your recent practices.", his smile widened as he heard her growl low. "Hey listen, if he wants some advice, tell him to come talk to Yuki, he'll give him a hand."  
  
Meilin marched over to Benji, crimson eyes flashing darkly. Grabbing his collar she pulled him close. "Now listen here Chen, my band is going to slaughter your band, and Li needs no help from your Yuki. Got it?"  
  
Benji smirked. "You know from this close, you are incredibly cute."  
  
Meilin fumed, releasing him abruptly. "I'm not cute."  
  
"Yeah you are, and your sweet and kind and considerate and not as bad ass as you think you are.", Benji stated ticking the words of his fingers as he named them.  
  
Sakura gasped at the look of stunned horror on Meilin's face, then clapped a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from exploding with laughter.   
  
"And that's not all, I think you'd look incredibly cute in barbie pink.", Benji finished, eyes twinkling with mirth.   
  
It never failed to amaze him how easy it was to get Li Meilin riled up, and the fact that she never considered how gorgeous she looked when she was snarling made everything so much more fun.  
  
Meilin's eyes widened, then narrowed as a whimper escaped from Sakura, who was now bent double with a hand over her mouth, and one across her waist with tears of laughter glistening in her eyes.  
  
"Oh, I'd advise you to leave right now, Chen, before I kick your ass, and take the giggling fool with you.", she growled, marching off in the other direction towards Naoko who had just emerged from the Library.  
  
Naoko frowned when she caught sight of the dark look on her best friends face, then she understood what had caused it when she saw Benji and Sakura leave the field.  
  
"Don't even say it, Oko.", Meilin warned voice so deep it was almost male.  
  
"OK, well instead I'll tell you about the venue of the final.", Naoko suggested cheerfully, to counter Meilin's dark mood. "But you'll tell me what he said anyway. So the venue is at the Hybrid Club, which is said to be hau-"  
  
"He called me cute!", Meilin exploded, then inhaled deeply, before letting the air out slowly. "And he said that I wasn't as bad ass as I think I am. What would he know, just because I haven't beaten him up yet does not mean that I can't and won't. In fact the next time I see him, I'm gonna kick his ass so hard he'll not be able to sit down for a week."  
  
Naoko suppressed a knowing smile, as she watched her friend slam her fist into a tree trunk.  
  
"Well what do you think?", Meilin turned to her friend.  
  
"Well all I have to say is that: As Tomoyo would exclaim: Kawaii!"  
  
"You're gonna wish you that never said that Oko."  
  
"Oh no I'm not. You can't kill me, I know your deepest darkest secrets.", Naoko threatened backing away from her advancing friend.   
  
"All the better to kill you then.", Meilin lunged for her friend.  
  
"MEILIN LI LOV-", her shout was muffled by a horrified Meilin clamping her hand over her mouth.  
  
"Pax? Truce?", Meilin begged, and when her friend nodded she sighed sinking to the ground. "So the final's in the Hybrid?"  
  
"Yeah-huh, and it's said to be haunted.", Naoko rubbed her hands together excited.  
  
"Sakura is not going to like that one bit."  
  
Naoko bit her lip nodding. "We don't have to tell her."  
  
"If that's the deal, then we don't tell Syaoran either. He'll use it to his advantage.", she mumbled the last bit under her breath. "And I can't let him take advantage of her when she's in that state. She won't be immune then, she'll be scared witless."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, um, never mind. Come on I've got detention to go to."  
  
***  
  
"Nice job Li, if you play like that tomorrow night, we'll definitely win the championships.", a voice congratulated as the soccer team headed into the changing rooms.   
  
Syaoran grinned, his ego inflating with each word of praise. He tugged off his top and high fived another team mate. His eyes narrowed as Eriol and Yamasaki entered, deep in conversation. He frowned. What exactly were they up to? Recently he noticed that his three best friends had started hanging out more than usual with each other. They were up to something, they never left him out of things usually. Instead he was usually always the one they begged to join them in what ever they were doing. Now they hardly ever asked him to join them, only when they were practicing or when he tagged along.   
  
Also the name Sakura seemed to be always popping up into the conversation. Every time he looked up at her name, he'd see the three of them watching him, smirking, well one particular person smirking, the others just with mischievous glints in their eyes. Looks like that made him nervous, and that was something Syaoran Li did not do so well. The girl was still a mystery and still pissed with him for Rika being drunk which was technically not his fault.  
  
He growled slamming his fist into the locker causing several people to back away from him uncertainly. And Sakura being pissed off with him was upsetting Rika, so that she became angry with him for not smoothing things over. In all cases he was the bad guy and he couldn't see what he'd done wrong.   
  
He decided to see Rika later, after he booked the warehouse for another practice session, and the finals were coming up. The ware house had the best acoustics, the most space and a pretty good stage to practice on, and their were instruments there including a drum kit with a cymbal, which was something he didn't have at the moment. His relationship problems were affecting his playing as well, which was something he couldn't handle. He was use to having his emotions in check, recently they were all over the place.   
  
He felt a tickle in his nose, and looked around. Sure enough there was the gruesome twosome looking at him, Eriol with his smirk, only it was much more evil than usual and Yamasaki was just rubbing his hands together as though he had a master plan up his sleeves. As though they'd just realized that he was looking at them, which they hadn't, they walked over to him and began to take of their shirts.   
  
"So what are you doing after school, my cute cousin?"  
  
"Beating the crap out of you for calling me that continuously."  
  
"I don't think Yelan would be too pleased with you using your well trained skills to do that to poor defenseless little me."  
  
"I doubt your defenseless Hirigizawa, you're as slippery as an eel, and twice as ugly."  
  
"Now why would you be interested in my looks, cuz, when you have a much more appealing beauty in your hands, unless your thinking of the desirable but unattainable Sakura Kinomoto?"  
  
"What are you babbling about, Hirigizawa?"  
  
"I have to admit that, that link wasn't exactly smooth, even for you Eriol.", Yamasaki added.   
  
Eriol tossed him a shut-up-you-idiot-and-think-about-the-plan look. Syaoran caught the look and the nod from Yamasaki, and he smirked.  
  
"What are you two up to?"  
  
"I'm just wondering have you got any closer to her, or is she really that unattainable and immune?"  
  
"No one's immune Eriol, I told you that.", Syaoran growled, packing up his practice clothes.  
  
"What's this, someone's immune to Li's charms?", a voice taunted from behind them.  
  
Syaoran growled, and looked over his shoulder at the boy with lake blue eyes, and short mahogany hair, and pale skin. Tai Owikawa. Eriol cursed under himself under his breath. How could he have let Tai over hear, the last thing he needed was Tai busting in, it would ruin everything. Yamasaki paled considerable, knowing the history between the two soccer stars, and he knew that whatever came next would not be good.  
  
"So who were you talking about?"  
  
"No one."  
  
"Hai, right. I don't believe you. I heard you mention Sakura Kinomoto, the cheerleading sensation with the legs."  
  
"All people have legs you muppet.", Eriol sighed defending his friend.  
  
"Not as great as hers, huh Li. Weren't you just commenting about that just yesterday.", Tai nudged him and winked.  
  
Syaoran hid his head in locker and wished the ground would swallow him up. "Just leave it Owikawa."  
  
"Nah, hey here's a bet for you Li, unless you're to chicken."  
  
'Famous last words.' Eriol thought sourly. 'Attack Li's ego is the best way to get the Li clan leader to do something stupid. Of course Tai would have to use my own trick against me.'  
  
"I'm not chicken, anything you can do, I can do better and with style.", Syaoran replied easily.  
  
"Hey wasn't that a song of yours?"  
  
"What's the bet Tai?", the leader asked resigned.  
  
"Simple, if Sakura's immune to my charms, there's no way she'll be immune to mine."  
  
"YOU have no charms.", Syaoran pointed out.  
  
"Exactly which is why by the end of this month, I'll have Sakura Kinomoto safely in my bed, while you will be left with nothing."  
  
"And when you lose?"  
  
"IF, Li, if I lose you get my car, I know you've been after it for quite a while now. You can have it, if you get Kinomoto first."  
  
"Deal."  
  
As the boys shook hands, the other two watched with horror as their well laid plans took a destructive detour. Syaoran smirked. 'Easy win.', he thought before throwing his sports bag over his shoulder and heading out of the gym.  
  
***  
  
Sakura walked around the ware house in awe, as the harsh wailing chords of the electric guitar and bass, which Johnny and Benji wielded cut through the air. Bright sun light streamed through the sky light and fell like a strobe onto the stage. Siftings of dust caught the sunlight and gave the impression of fairy dust being sprinkled unto the stage. She felt a tug on her lips, and her temporary nerves fell away for a few seconds.   
  
She took a deep breath and approached the stage when she heard the first bars of one of her favorite songs being strummed out by Benji and Johnny. She hummed softly to them, then frowned when they stopped. She looked up as they stared down at something over her shoulder. She spun round only to see Yuki smiling at her, brown eyes warm and comforting as usual.  
  
"Hey Sakura, all ready?"  
  
Sakura gulped. "Yeah, I think so. It's just so nerve wracking, Meilin says that it gets better once your on stage."  
  
"Wise advise. She's right. You get a serious buzz from the cheering crowds and when they start singing along it makes you feel good.", Yuki promised.   
  
"Great. So what are we starting with?"  
  
"I thought we could start you off with the song they were practicing a minute ago, I notice you knew the tune, do you know the lyrics?"  
  
"To stand by me?", she asked a slight lilt to her voice.  
  
"Yeah, do you?"  
  
"Yeah, one my favorites."  
  
Yuki grinned. "Well welcome to Sins of Chaos. Hey guys lets start shall we?"  
  
The first bars of the song started again, this time accompanied by the drums and Sakura standing right in her strobe of light center stage, looking away from the band and closing her eyes. She began to softly sing.  
  
"When the night has come  
  
And the land is dark  
  
And the moon is the only light we'll see,  
  
No, I won't be afraid,  
  
No, I-ah-ah-ah-ah, won't be afraid,  
  
Just as long as you stand,  
  
Stand by me.  
  
So darling, darling,  
  
Sta-nd by me.  
  
Oh-oh, stand b-ah-y me.  
  
Woah-oh, stand,  
  
Stand by me,  
  
Stand by me.  
  
If the sky that we look upon  
  
Should tumble and fall  
  
Or the mountains should crumble to the sea,  
  
I won't cry, I won't cry,  
  
No, I-ah-ah-ah won't shed a tear,  
  
Just as long as you sta-nd,  
  
Stand by me.  
  
And darling, darling,  
  
Sta-nd by me.  
  
Oh-oh, stand by me.  
  
Woah-oh, stand,  
  
Stand by me,  
  
Stand by me.  
  
She cut off from her singing and turned to watch Johnny and Benji do their instrumental solo. She grinned then frowned as she watched Yuki wince then place his sticks down. He pushed himself to his feet and crossed to her.   
  
"I have to get some water, K?"  
  
Sakura nodded and watched as he jumped off the stage and headed out of the large room. She turned round and began tapping her foot in time to the music, since the drums were gone. She couldn't help but smile as she caught sight of Benji with his brow furrowed as his fingers moved along the strings. She turned back hearing her next part come again.  
  
"So darling, darling,  
  
Stand by me."  
  
***  
  
Syaoran frowned as he listened to the powerful soulful voice drifting out of the hall. He nodded at one of the guys he recognized from the other battle of the bands and then he paused by the door as someone opened it and walked out. He recognized the man from the last battle of the bands, the one Sakura had been smiling at. The one they said had been her first crush. The one they called Yuki.   
  
"Oh-oh, stand by me.  
  
Woah-oh, stand,  
  
Stand by me,  
  
Stand by me. "  
  
Yuki looked at him and smiled recognising the boy from the competition. "Hey you booking the warehouse for practicing for the final?"  
  
Syaoran glared at him, then quickly shook off his hostility towards the guy, and replaced the glare with a slight smile. "Yeah, but we don't need it, we're gonna win."  
  
"Well we're have a good chance, now that we have our new singer."  
  
"Is that her singing now?", Yuki nodded. "She's got a great pair of lungs, who is she?"  
  
Yuki looked back at the door. "You probably know her, she goes to Tomeda High."  
  
"Who?", Syaoran asked interested.  
  
"Why don't you some in and see yourself.", Yuki said heading back into the hall with Syaoran following him, just as the singer burst into the end of the song with volume.  
  
"Whenever you're in trouble,   
  
won't you sta-nd by me,  
  
Woah-oh-ho-oh-ho stand by me  
  
Woah-oh-hoh,   
  
Stand by me  
  
stand by me,   
  
stand by me, stand by me."  
  
The singer finished looking pleased with herself. At first it took a while for Syaoran to recognize who it was and when he did, he nearly choked. Who would've thought Kinomoto would've sung so well. As she turned to look at them Syaoran caught his breath as the sun streamed onto her flushed but bright happy face.   
  
Before he could stop himself he murmured. "Tenshi."  
  
Luckily no one heard him and every thought was wiped out of his head when she caught sight of him and her emerald eyes became guarded though her smile remained cheerful. Yuki clambered onto the stage beside her and whispered something into her ear causing her to blush, Syaoran felt his blood boil, though he couldn't for the life of him figure out why. He shook his head, it was because of the bet, he convinced himself, realizing he had to put the plan into action soon before Tai started and he knew Tai was a fast mover.  
  
He was just about to head over to her, when her face brightened and she jumped off the stage and ran over to a figure in the door way.   
  
"Hey Kaijuu, how's it going?"  
  
"I'm not a kaijuu, Touya.", she declared stomping viciously on his foot causing Touya to wince in pain.  
  
Syaoran smirked at the childish attitude and for a moment felt a tug of envy, missing his annoying sisters who were all back home. They may have been the most annoying women on the planet but they were his sisters and he would never trade them in for anyone. He watched the banter continue before Sakura waved her good-byes, and raced out the door not even casting a glance back at him like all the other girls he'd known in his life. Instead she tugged on her brothers hand and pulled him out the door.  
  
He shook his head, then sighed as his cell rang and Rika's name showed up on Caller ID. He pulled out his keys and walked towards the door heading to her house, still wondering why exactly Kinomoto was so hostile to him, and cursing her brother for not letting him get the bet under way.  
  
~~*~~@~~*~~  
  
A.N. Well I hope you liked. Thank you everyone who reviewed I really appreciate it. 


	6. Soccer matches and bonding

Hey sorry about the long wait. I've been concentrating on my Beyblade fics, if you like Beyblade please read Love/Hate: Just how thin is the line? It's an AU fic, with no beyblades what so ever, but it's good. Honestly it is. Anyhow here's chapter six. Thank you to my wonderful reviewers. sapphirecrystal, Sakura-Sakura, Sakura Angel, Angel of Destiny, lil-baby-azn-girl, sprout, Yumiko, Sakura tenshi. AnGeL Of LOvE, rainbow-dreamer, meinien, Anime Queen, Mini Sweety, SaKuRa LoVa. Hope you guys liked this chapter, and please review.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS, and I don't think I want to. Who ever owns it did just fine on their own.   
  
~~*~~@~~*~~  
  
Sakura yawned and stretched leisurely like a cat, her gaze filtered over the students on the oval waiting for the soccer games to start. Not far away Syaoran watched her. His gaze traveled along her body and he groaned inwardly. The girl had a body, he could say that. He smirked then it was wiped away as he caught sight of Tai who dropped on to the grass beside her. Immediately they began to talk animatedly about something light and frivolous. Syaoran growled and averted his gaze. Damn Tai. For the past several days Tai had been talking more and more to Sakura and he felt he was losing the bet, both of them. And he hated losing, but he especially hated losing to Tai.  
  
His gaze surveyed the area he was sitting in. They were in the park by the oval. A large group of them had gathered for the five aside soccer game. He had been looking forward to the day for quite a while but now it wasn't looking so good, Rika had decided against coming, Yamasaki hadn't left his girlfriends side, though he could be seen plotting with Eriol, he was bored waiting for everything to start so that he could get away from the admiring group of girls who kept pointing at him and giggling. Usually he would have tossed them a flirtatious smile and enjoyed them but today he wasn't in the mood. Another thing he hated.   
  
He got to his feet abruptly and strode off in a huff. As he passed his victim and rival, Tai looked up and smiled. God how he would love to wipe that smug smile from his face, Syaoran thought darkly, unconsciously fisting his hands.   
  
"Hey Li."  
  
"Tai.", he answered stiffly, then catching Sakura's confused expression added, "How are you?"  
  
Tai grinned. "We're great aren't we Sakura?"  
  
Sakura frowned, she really didn't know Tai well enough for him to call her by her first name. He had just started hanging round with her recently, but he was harmless enough. "Sure."  
  
Syaoran didn't miss how Tai had called her Sakura wither but he kept his expression friendly. He couldn't have Sakura thinking he was an asshole, especially since she was just beginning to forgive him for Rika getting drunk. "So are you looking forward to the match, Sakura?"  
  
She plucked a flower from the grass and twirled it lazily between her fingers, then smiled up at him. He gulped. Christ, why did she have to look so innocently appealing just sitting on the grass in a pair of shorts, vest top and shades resting high on her head.  
  
"Yeah I am. It's going to be fun, ne?", she asked.   
  
She had already decided that being hostile to him would just make him be more charming and she just didn't want that. She still wasn't pleased about taking part in the bet but she had a few days to get over it. She had forgiven him for the drunk incident since he had apologized to her about it and he had seemed sincere, even Meilin had been in awe at how sincere he had been. But that only meant that Meilin figured that her plan was working so well so she had kept urging Sakura to ignore him, but Meilin wasn't here right now and what she didn't know, wouldn't hurt her.  
  
"Yeah I think so. What team are you on?"  
  
"Green team.", she reached behind her to produce a green ribbon pin. "Yep, green."  
  
He grinned and pulled his own pin out of his pocket. "Snap."  
  
"Great, at least I know one person on my team, and your a good player right?", when he nodded, she continued. "Tomoyo and Eriol are on the blue team, Chiharu and Yamasaki are on the yellow team and Meilin and Naoko are on the red team."  
  
Syaoran nodded noticing the neglected look on Tai's face with satisfaction, though Sakura was oblivious.   
  
"Here, sit down Li. I'm getting a cramp in my neck looking up at you.", she patted the grass beside her, putting the small voice reminding her about the bet to the back of her mind. She wanted to see how immune to him she really was, and besides, right now he was being friendly not charming and for once he didn't seem to be that bad.  
  
Beside her Tai glowered at Li, then turned to Sakura. "I'm on the blue team. We'll probably have to play you sometime."  
  
Sakura nodded. "Probably."  
  
Tai flashed her a charming smile. "Well if we do, I'll go easy on you Sakura."  
  
"Please don't.", she told him primly. He made it sound as though she wasn't capable of playing the game and she had often played with Touya and Yuki and they never went easy on her and they had good reason to.  
  
"Play your best Tai, because we don't go easy on anyone, right Sakura?"  
  
Sakura laughed enjoying the expression on Tai's face. Obviously they was some rivalry between the two soccer stars, which would make things interesting. "Right, we take no prisoners.", when Li smiled at her, with no charm just a plain genuine smile, it seemed as though the world around them faded and the sun shone on only them, and for the first time Sakura understood what Tomoyo had meant when she said that he made you feel like you were the only girl in the world. Suddenly feeling vulnerable, she pulled her defenses down around her.  
  
"Where's Rika?", she aimed for casual but it ended up sounding hostile.  
  
His eyes narrowed and his smile disappeared. What did he do? Where had the friendly Sakura gone? She'd been there a minute ago. They'd been getting on really well. Confused he stared at her. He couldn't think of the answer, then again he hadn't really heard the question.  
  
"Uh, I don't know."  
  
"She's your girlfriend.", this came out as an accusation.  
  
Rika? How had they got from soccer to Rika? He frowned when he thought about his girlfriend. She was supposed to be here but she had pulled out at the last moment claiming she had homework to do. In fact that had been her excuse for everything recently. She hardly ever spent anytime outside school with him which was fine but even in school she hardly had time for him. He was beginning to wonder why they had started going out in the first place. After all they had nothing really in common with her and he got on well with her friends, but when they were alone together, they never talked, just made out and part of him felt empty with that. He shook that off, he was a player, simple as that, he didn't want anything that serious.   
  
"She said she couldn't come.", he stated in an emotionless tone.   
  
"Well there's a first, a girl blowing Li off and it was his girlfriend.", Tai taunted.  
  
Go Rika!, Sakura thought with a small smile, which turned upside down when she caught Syaorans sullen face. He looked quite cut up about something, possibly Rika or maybe it was Tai's merciless teasing, but all the same he didn't look happy. Just as she was about to change the subject the P.A. announced that the matches were about to start.  
  
***  
  
Chiharu thumped on to a stool at one of the tables taking in the coolness from the shade provided by the umbrella over it. Her team had just been thrashed by the Blue team while the red team had been slaughtered by the green team. Though there had been fierce rivalry between the Li cousins, Meilin had in the end resorted to violent tactics to take down Syaoran. Chiharu smiled at the memory. He had looked so cute when he had fallen on to the ground after Meilin had tripped him. He had retaliated by scoring another goal and made her pout and stomp her foot when he began to gloat.  
  
She sighed. Rika was supposed to come today but then she had canceled like she had so many times recently. She kept coming up with excuses such as too much homework, not enough study done. She had even quit the newspaper and every other after school activity that she had taken up and succeeded since the start of high school. It just wasn't healthy, but only she knew how bad it was, and Sakura had mentioned that Rika had blown off Syaoran, Chiharu knew she was going to have to tell the other girls what she knew, and they would come up with something together.   
  
She glanced up and smiled as a waiter placed a milkshake in front of her. Then her smiled widened as Meilin appeared beside her, being propped up by Benji.   
  
"What happened to you?"  
  
Meilin scowled and sat down with assistance from Benji who sat down beside her. "Hurt my foot."  
  
"Which wouldn't have happened if she had just left her fighting with Li.", Benji chided, while Meilin shot him a dark look.   
  
Chiharu frowned. "What?"  
  
"Syaoran wrestled her to the ground and walked off, but then Meilin chased after him and slid, falling on her ass and hurting her ankle.", Naoko said, her tone was bubbling with stifled laughter while Johnny who was almost bent double with laughter as he collapsed into a chair.   
  
Chiharu smiled. "That should teach you to know when you're beaten."  
  
"That's what I said.", Syaoran said from behind her.   
  
She blushed from him agreeing with her and avoided Yamasaki's questioning gaze as he joined them. Sakura dragged up and chair and snagged Chiharu's drink, before sipping delicately on it to relieve her dry throat. Her pulse was still racing from the exertion while her gut was sore from all the laughing she'd done at Meilin. Her brow rose as Li pulled up a chair beside her and stole the drink to quench his thirst. He glanced at her.   
  
"Weren't you finished?"  
  
Sakura shook her head in dismissal. During the match she had seen a different side to Syaoran, a side of him that obsessed with being loved by girls, or with looking cool or with winning. He'd just been a normal teenage guy, having fun, playing a sport he loved with his cousin. It had been an unnerving experience and made her see him more as a person instead of a, well it made him seem more real, which made her task more difficult.   
  
Syaoran nodded, then handed the drink by to Chiharu who was now in deep conversation with Yamasaki. Eriol who had joined them was smirking at him. He growled. Sakura was acting weird, Meilin was scowling at him, and Eriol was smirking at him. How did he know such strange people?!   
  
"Is there something wrong Eriol?"  
  
"Nothing, my cute cousin."  
  
Syaoran bristled at that, then he quirked a single brow at Sakura as she giggled. The sound was slightly musical and like everything else about the girl, it was sweet and innocent. Still she intrigued him. She caught him looking at him and shrugged helplessly.   
  
"Sorry Li, it's just the nick-name, it's, um, interesting."  
  
Syaoran closed his eyes and shook his head. "I keep telling him not to call me that. By the way why do you keep calling me Li?"  
  
Sakura flushed. "Sorry it's just that, well we're not really friends and I don't really know you."  
  
Syaoran looked at her considering, then he placed his hand out towards her. "I'm Syaoran Li. Nice to meet you."  
  
Sakura shook her head but smiled, and shook his hand. "Kinomoto Sakura, nice to meet you, Li."  
  
"Please call me Syaoran. I'm 17 years old, my birthdays in July. I like rock music, action films, particularly ones with martial arts fighting in them. I enjoy playing soccer, annoying my four older sisters and am a master at martial arts."  
  
"Ok, Syaoran, you can call me Sakura. I'm seventeen as well, my birthday is in April and I like rock music, and nearly most kinds of music, though I can't stand Celine Dion.", she flashed a grin at Chiharu who stared at her in mock horror. The rest just laughed as they watched the exchange with amusement. "I hate ghosts, but I like action movies with car chases because I like the fast cars and big crashes. I enjoy hanging out with my friends at the cinema, park or the mall. I have one older brother who taunts me mercilessly and I love animes."  
  
Syaoran frowned. "Animes, huh? Which ones?"  
  
"Um, Beyblade, Sailor moon, Digimon, stuff like that."  
  
"I'm not sure about Sailor moon or Digimon but I don't mind Beyblade. It's good."  
  
The others frowned listening to them talk about Beyblade. The trio exchanged worried glances. They hadn't expected the two of them to start becoming friendly. The plan was crumbling, failing. Sakura was falling for his charms. On the other side of the cafe, Tai watched the two of them laughing and joking together. He didn't like this one bit. Li was taking Sakura away from him, it just meant he would have to take up his charms on the naive girl.   
  
***  
  
"Foul!", Tai cried out from sitting on the ground nursing his leg, while holding up a hand to attract the referees attention.  
  
From beside him Syaoran growled. "What are you talking about? That was a definite dive."  
  
"You fouled me Li."  
  
"You tripped yourself and dived Owikawa."  
  
The referee walked over and shook his head. "Any more foul play like that Li and I'll send you off. Owikawa, if you're well enough. Take the free kick."  
  
Sakura gulped on hearing those words, since it was Syaoran's bright idea to put her in nets. Actually it had seemed like a pretty good idea at the time since Syaoran kept the ball away from her and he scored most of the goals. At the moment it was 9-8. If they got this goal, then the next goal won. Syaoran walked up to her and smiled reassuringly.   
  
"Don't worry. Eriol will take this shot and he'll get it past you. But don't worry about it, I'd be concerned if he didn't score. In fact I'd accuse him of being soft.", he squeezed her shoulder to comfort her, before running off to join the rest of the players.   
  
Eriol lined up the shot and as predicted, the shot whizzed right past her. She had no time to stick her foot out or hand out to stop the ball. As the ball shot past the line into the narrow net, Tomoyo jumped in to the air with a squeal before dancing round in a short victory dance with her boyfriend. It looked so funny that ever Sakura had to laugh even though she felt disappointed.   
  
At the kick off, Tai seemed to have gotten his second wind and dominated the ball, keeping it mostly in the green half. Though each time he took a shot at Sakura, Syaoran always found a way to get in front of it and deflect it. Eriol was complaining about Tai hogging the ball while Tomoyo was diving out of the way of the ball from every time that Syaoran cleared it. Suddenly Tai got a break and tore down the field towards Sakura. She yelped and tensed up as he took his shot. Out of nowhere Syaoran slid in and deflected it, and she breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing immediately. But Eriol caught the deflected ball, and shot it at Sakura, with out a second thought she stuck out her foot and it stopped the ball. Taking a step up, she kicked the ball in to the air and when it arced down, Syaoran controlled it with a header, bringing it to his feet. Eriol tried to steal it, but Syaoran easily dancing it out of his cousins reach, before kicking it in an arc and it found itself in the net. Sakura let out a whoop of joy and ran up to Syaoran. She grabbed his hands and started spinning him in circles.   
  
"We won. We won. We won. We won!", she sang as Syaoran laughed.  
  
All bets were forgotten in this moment of triumph. But in the corner, she stood watching the two dance and laugh, and she frowned. She didn't like this one bit. Syaoran seemed more open to Sakura than he ever was with anyone. While Sakura was actually being friendly to the guy only days ago she had ignored.  
  
Hope this chapter was up to scratch. Review please. 


	7. Illicit X

Hey sorry about the wait. I just have a lot on. But now I'm here again to update and to brag about how I passed my leaving cert even obtaining a B in honors English, I'm so pleased and glad that grammar had nothing to do with the exam, and I didn't fail Biology and I was so sure I would. Anyway, this will probably be my last update on this fic for a while since I am going to college in a few weeks time to study Psychiatric nursing, god save them. Anyway thank you to my loyal reviewers, I hope you like this chapter. Ignore the grammar, some day I'll fix it.  
  
Sakura Angel14: You may be psychic.  
  
Angel Of Destiny: I keep meaning to email you, and usually when I update it's late at night and I'm just to tired. Sorry. ;-)  
  
starry-Amaya: Well she has to fall for him sometime otherwise it won't be a S+S fic.  
  
Kisakino Ookami: I'm glad you love it. I hope you like the next chap.  
  
adriana: I don't think this was as long a wait as the last one was it? I hope not anyway.  
  
laura: I'm glad you think this story is really great, the idea just hit me one night, I'm glad it's a success.   
  
Crystal jade2: Syaoran's heart will be broken soon, I think. Oh well it's tough being a player who's been taken down a peg.  
  
Carmela-chan: A lot of questions, and some of them will be answered soon. This chapter deals a good bit on the Trio and their plan, and how it's affecting them.   
  
kawaii kitty5: Ok I'm continuing.  
  
Lugia-mew: The 'she' couldn't be Sakura because the 'she' was watching Sakura and Syaoran's victory dance. But who she is will be revealed in this chapter.  
  
iris dreamer: I feel sorry for Rika too, but I needed this to happen to her. I don't hate Rika because she was one of the first extra's in Cardcaptors that I met, so I have a soft spot for her, yet if you read any of my other fics, you'll see Naoko plays a starring role, because Naoko gets sorely ignored and she's cool.  
  
Amazonian Anime Queen: I hope this one's worth the wait too.   
  
SaKuRa LoVa: No Saki didn't forget the bet, well in a way she did, but she just experienced a different side to Syaoran and got caught up in the moment.  
  
Mini Sweety: Yeah Syaoran needs to buckle down. And he will. I'm glad you like the Institute, though my last chapter was not up to scratch, I was just in a really crappy mood and I think that comes out in the chapter. Which I really regret, I shouldn't have wrote it when I wasn't feeling my self.   
  
Ok on to the disclaimer:   
  
Disclaimer: I Lady Zadien of Xanthia do not, nor will I ever, own CCS, because Xanthia does not possess money, should someone want to swap it for a poisonous flower, I will gladly accept.  
  
Oh and almost forgot the song is 'Neptune' by 'INME'  
  
Prince Charming  
  
by: Zadien/Gems (The one and only)  
  
Chapter Seven: Illicit X  
  
~~*~~@~~*~~  
  
"I wish I had a different star,  
  
I wish I had a different silhouette,  
  
You decrease me, you seclude me, aggravate me and you made me,  
  
What I am today,  
  
This is the way forward,  
  
You are the way backwards,  
  
I chose the way forward  
  
And left you all behind-"  
  
Meilin nodded her head in time to the beat she was keeping while running her fingers expertly over the taut strings to give the desired effect for the song. Beside her Yamasaki played his part, harmonizing along with her while Eriol's face was scrunched up in concentration as he fixed his mixing desk.   
  
"I wish we could communicate,  
  
Despite the fact you'd hate me anyway,  
  
You seduce me, you abuse me, you frustrate me and amaze me,  
  
What is wrong with me?  
  
This is the way forward,  
  
You are the way backwards,  
  
I chose the way forward  
  
And left you all behind-  
  
It's bad enough that you could say that, It's bad enough......Aw screw it all to hell!", she finished off almost screaming in frustration.   
  
Yamasaki played a wrong note in his surprise and the jerked note hung in the air as he exchanged glances with a bemused Eriol.  
  
"Something wrong, cousin?"  
  
"Argh I can't concentrate! How am I supposed to sing this without the drum accompaniment, and where is our little drummer boy?! Out at the cinema with Sakura!"  
  
Eriol nodded. So this was why Meilin was so distracted. Syaoran was out at the cinema with Sakura which wasn't good. They knew something happened at the soccer match. Sakura and Syaoran were getting along really well, which did not bode well for the Trio's plan and with the bet between Syaoran and Tai, they couldn't afford to let Sakura fail. Eriol saw it as his personal mission not to let Sakura get hurt, after all, she was an innocent and more importantly, she was Tomoyo's best friend.   
  
"You do realize the bet's over.", Yamasaki suddenly said.   
  
Meilin whipped round to pin him with her gaze. "And why do you presume that?"  
  
Her guitarist shrugged. "No reason, except that, Sakura's falling for him."  
  
"Really?", Eriol asked interested. "Why do you say that?"  
  
"She's no longer cold and indifferent to him. She laughs at his jokes, talks to him freely and hangs out with him."  
  
"So?", Meilin demanded, not liking the idea that her plan may be falling down around her.  
  
"So, ok, maybe she hasn't fallen, yet, but she is treating him in a friendly manner, so either way she's now no longer immune to his charm.", Yamasaki pointed out.  
  
Their lead singer looked crest fallen as the realization hit her.   
  
"If Sakura has fallen for him then it wasn't because of his charms. At the soccer match our cute little cousin revealed a side of himself that people rarely see and Sakura saw it up close.", Eriol mused.   
  
"So that means she's still immune to his charm. Syao hasn't won our bet!"  
  
Both boys exchanged worried glances before looking back at the hopeful girl.  
  
"Meilin, I know that you're angry at Syaoran for what he did to Naoko but Sakura and Rika are going to get hurt. I'm actually ashamed to be part of this scheme now.", Eriol said running a hand through his hair.  
  
Meilin shot him a dark look. "Well tough luck, you are part of this.", then with her eyes glued to the floor, she added quietly. "Look I do regret rushing into this but Sakura knows the score. Either way Rika's going to get hurt anyway."  
  
Yamasaki stared at his female friend, opened his mouth to object then thinking better of it, closed it again. He shot Eriol a look, as though telling him to say something.  
  
"Saki only knows about the bet not to fall for his charm but she's not falling for his charm, she's falling for the real him."  
  
Meilin scrunched up her nose. Dammit, why did Syaoran have to show Saki his real side at that soccer game? It had just screwed everything up and should Saki reject Syaoran, then there was Tai to worry about, and Meilin didn't like the idea of Tai winning that bet at all. She'd much rather Syaoran win, after all he was much more decent than Tai was.   
  
The two boys exchanged another anxious glance as they observed Meilins' slap to the head.   
  
No! That wasn't fair, she decided. Sakura didn't deserve all this. She was only doing this because Meilin had set up the bet and because she wanted to help her friends. It was her fault, the Chinese girl admitted, she had made Sakura the target for both bets, and Sakura only knew about one of them and she was letting Tai close without knowing the deal with him, like she knew the deal with Syaoran.   
  
"This is all my fault.", she whispered.  
  
Eriol crossed to her and placed an arm round her shoulders. "Look Meilin we're all included in this together. We all want Syaoran to grow up and stop being a player. And maybe involving Sakura was a good idea, after all she's not like other girls, she's showing him that it's possible to be friends without a relationship."  
  
Meilin looked at him hopefully. "You think so?"  
  
"Of course. Look, Syaoran needs to realize that girls aren't play things and that they deserve respect and that's what you're doing. Your hearts in the right place, Meilin-chan."  
  
Yamasaki grinned. "And did you know that-"  
  
"Don't even try it, Zak. We're having a family moment here.", Meilin chided, which made Yamasakis' grin widen and Eriol look down at the ground.   
  
"Hey hate to interrupt, well not really.", A deep voice interrupted. "Hey what's with you two, Meilin? I thought you and Hirigizawa were cousins?!"  
  
Meilin's crimson eyes snapped to the door way, where Benji stood leaning casually against the door frame of the gym. He watched her with a wide grin, and a glint in his brilliant blue eyes.  
  
"What do you want, Chen?!", she spat angrily. "Didn't I tell you the next time I saw you, I was going to hurt you?!"  
  
Benji frowned. "Nope, I don't think you did."  
  
She faltered. "Oh, then it must have been Naoko I told. It still holds though, so I'd advise you to run."  
  
Yamasaki shook his head. "Meilin, leave Chen alone, or else get a room!"  
  
Eriol chuckled at Meilin's look of pure horror. "Is there something you wanted Chen?"  
  
Their rival nodded. "Yeah I was hoping to find our lead vocalist here. You don't happen to know where she is, do you?"  
  
Eriol nodded but it was Meilin who answered. "She's away with Syaoran."  
  
Benji raises a golden brow. "Really? Hmm. I might have to worry about Sakura's loyalties, she seems to spend more time with the enemy that with her own band."  
  
"We're her friends, you doofus."  
  
"Meilin!", Benji exclaimed in mock hurt. "I'm her friend too, and I thought we were friends aswell."  
  
Meilin growled at him and lifted one of Syaoran's drum sticks, ignoring the sounds of protest coming from her other band members. She watched in satisfaction as the bane of her existence edged away from her back out the door. She fired the drumstick and grinned as she heard a yelp.   
  
" OUCH! Meilin I wouldn't do that, again. One of those sticks might break and Li needs all he has, so that he can drum in the final. He wouldn't appreciate you breaking them instead of him.", Benji's voice called from out the door.   
  
Meilin cackled and fired the next one, and had found another one casually left on the floor, when Eriol's hand caught her wrist. "Leave him, Meilin. C'mon we have to practice."  
  
She sighed heavily and nodded, placing the drumstick on the floor beside her and walked back to the microphone.   
  
***  
  
"Oh mi god, Touya was so angry!", Sakura gasped clutching her aching sides, as both she and Syaoran burst out of the cinema double doors.   
  
Syaoran bent double, trying to catch his breath. If he had known Touya Kinomoto had been in there, he wouldn't have suggested to Sakura that they go see a film. He had only managed to escape with his life. He glanced over at Sakura's laughing face, as she leaned against the wall to keep her balance. She looked so beautiful when she was laughing freely instead of keeping her guard up. For the past few weeks he had seen a different side to Sakura, a side he enjoyed seeing. If she should find out about the bet, he knew, she would close up again and he'd never see this side to her again. He'd regret that. But he had a reputation to keep up and he really cared for Rika. He had to keep reminding himself of that. She meant something to him. Sakura was just a victim of his cousins cruel twisted jokes. If he could pull this off, he would try his best to get her to remain friends with him, after the last couple of days her friendship really meant a lot to him.  
  
His thoughts were cut off as they heard a thump and Touya came out of the other cinema door, down the aisle from them. Both teens glanced at each other before they raced off, Sakura leading the way. Behind them they heard Touya yell:   
  
"Bring my sister back you gaki!"  
  
Sakura laughed and glanced at Syaoran. "Onii-chan is sooo gonna kill you."  
  
Syaoran tossed her an anxious glance. "Seriously?"  
  
"Uh-huh. The last guy that came near me, well Touya yelled at him so much he wet himself. It was so funny, especially since the boy avoided me like the plague since.", she chuckled at the memory.   
  
Syaoran couldn't help the smile that played on his lips. She was loosening up a lot around him now. He could approach her and talk to her at any time and just hang out with her without her clamming up. Which was why he took advantage of taking her to the cinema with him today, and asking her in front of Tai and having her accept was just a side benefit. He smirked at the memory, then smiled as he remembered the warm smile she'd awarded him with for buying her popcorn. It would just be a pain to have this date cut short because of her over protective brother.  
  
"So, where can we hide from your brother?"  
  
She shot him a bewildered look, as she glanced over her shoulder searching for any sign of her brother amongst the throng of shoppers. Then a cruel smirk lit up her face. "I just had an idea.", she led him round the corner and stopped in front of a pink door with a picture of a stick woman complete with skirt.   
  
Syaoran frowned. "The ladies room?"  
  
Sakura giggled. "How cute. Yeah the toilets. Touya has too much dignity to come in here.", she said opening the door.  
  
"And I don't?! What if there are people in there?"  
  
"Who cares?! Don't be a stick in the mud, Syaoran. Stop always caring about your reputation, and learn to liven up.", leaving that as her parting comment she disappeared behind the door.   
  
Syaoran sighed, realizing he had nothing else to do but follow.   
  
***  
  
A quarter of an hour later, Sakura popped her head round the door, checking if the coast was clear. She then ducked back in and preceded to drag Syaoran out of the Ladies toilets. The past fifteen minutes had been spent with Syaoran finding out all the secrets of the girls toilets. The fact that they had cubicles for privacy and other such things a guy wouldn't know from never being in one before. To Sakura it had been like taking an inquisitive child to a musem for the first time in it's life. He had just walked round the whole place exploring everything he found. She had to, at one stage, pull him away from the dispensers at the end of the room since he wanted to put money into them. And she did not want to have the embarrassment of clearing them up.   
  
She glanced over at him as he wandered along beside her. Since the soccer match they'd been getting along so well and she really enjoyed his company. But in the back of her mind there was always the small nagging voice reminding her of the bet, and it didn't help that every day at school Meilin kept bringing it up. It really grinded on her nerves. Syaoran was being so nice to her and she actually felt as though he respected her, but was he just doing it for the bet? And if he wasn't, what sort of person was she for thinking that? It wasn't like her at all. She tried to see the best in everyone, not the worst. And when Syaoran was being his natural self, she couldn't see any bad points, or she wouldn't if the bet wasn't on her mind.   
  
The thing was, as far as she could see, he was genuinely a nice person when he wasn't charming girls, and recently he hadn't been doing much of that. Either he was concentrating on his studies or hanging out with Rika, and he didn't do that much anymore either. But Sakura knew that wasn't his fault. Rika had been blocking herself off from everyone, she'd ditched her recreational activities and now spent her time in class or at home, and sometimes she could be found in the library during Lunch. Sakura knew the exams were important, it was just that, well, were they more important than her friends?! No, Sakura thought they weren't. Rika had great friends and a good boyfriend but she was ignoring all of them, and she didn't like that at all.   
  
Pushing the thought aside before she became too bitter, Sakura took in Syaoran's appearance. His uniform was creased from when he had been slouched in the seat at the cinema, his tie had been lost somewhere along the way and his jacket was slung in his backpack and his shirt sleeves rolled up. It gave him a casual look which was enhanced by his ruffled hair, and the lazy glint in his eyes. She had to admit, she could see why all the girls were attracted to him, hell she could see why she was attracted to him.   
  
She stopped stock still, eyes wide.   
  
Syaoran who hadn't noticed walked on a few steps, then glanced over his shoulder to catch Sakura's shocked expression.   
  
"Saki-chan are you ok?"  
  
"Hoe?! Oh yeah I'm fine. So where are we going now?", she asked in a false cheerful tone.  
  
"Well I thought that, going to get an ice-cream would finish our date of nicely.", Syaoran said, then immediately regretted using the word date when he caught sight of the guarded look in her eyes.   
  
"We're not on a date, Syaoran.", she informed him coolly, even as her pulse spiked by the look in his eyes.   
  
"Look, I didn't mean it the way you thought I meant it. I mean come on Sakura, I'm with Rika, I'd never hurt her intentionally.", he half-lied, then added in a genuine hurt tone. "Besides I thought we were friends."  
  
Sakura's emerald green eyes softened. "We are, it's just..... never mind. Are we going to get some ice cream then?", she asked happily while all the time chiding herself for being so defensive, which was only because she was becoming attracted to him, but that was her own fault.   
  
He nodded and led her to the ice cream parlor.  
  
***  
  
Across the mall a figure stepped round a clothes rack running her fingers along the rail, looking at the clothes. Her eyes flicked to the center of the mall when she heard a familiar laugh. Her confused frown deepened as she caught sight of the girl and boy talking and laughing over ice cream. The girl was talking and motioning with her spoon while the boy was laughing heartily at what she was saying. The figure frowned. This was not good. This was not good at all.  
  
***  
  
"So from that day on, Touya won't eat ice cream, but he'll eat popsicles.", Sakura finished wearing a large smirk, one Syaoran had never seen on her face before. It suited her.  
  
"You're mean.", he laughed.  
  
"Not true. Touya brought it on himself. He deserved it. I was doing the world a favor.", she said placing another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth, while licking her lips.   
  
Syaoran groaned inwardly as his gaze was drawn towards that perfect mouth. He shook his head quickly. "Hey do want to try some of my chocolate ice cream?"  
  
"Are you asking me that so you can have a valid reason to taste my cookies 'n cream?", she demanded suspiciously.  
  
Syaoran threw his hands into the air. "Guilty. So do you?"  
  
"Sure. I won't pass up free ice cream.", she answered lifting a spoonful and offered it to him.  
  
He took the spoon in to his mouth, keeping it there for a few seconds longer than necessary, while all the time his eyes remained locked on hers. Her blood pressure spiked and her pulse hitch at the look in his eyes. It was so raw it was unnatural, wild even.  
  
"Ok, my turn.", she said breaking the tense silence.   
  
"Fine then, close your eyes.", he commanded lifting his spoon.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Do it."  
  
She rolled her eyes, then obeying his command, closed them. Syaoran grinned.   
  
"OK now open your mouth.", When she did, he pushed the spoon in to her mouth and let her take the ice cream. She released the spoon, but kept her eyes closed savoring the taste.   
  
"Oishi (delicious), that's mmm-", she was cut off as something pressed against her lips. Something smooth as velvet, warm and inviting. She kept her eyes closed for a few blissful seconds and her mind went blank. Then her eyes snapped open and her gaze collided with intense amber. Her stompach did a delicious little hop. Her eyes widen in pure shock, then something penetrated her blissful ignorance. Rika, followed by the bet. She broke apart from him abruptly and she scooted out of her chair sending it crashing to the floor.   
  
"Sakura-"  
  
"No, um, I just remembered. I have band rehearsal.", and with that she stumbled out of the cafe and headed for the nearest exit leaving a dazed, confused, bewildered and bemused Syaoran. Who quickly realized what he'd done, and banged his head against the table.  
  
***  
  
At the other side, she stood there, still in the same shop watching the pairs illicit kiss, and she frowned.   
  
"I knew it.", she hissed, then glared at all the customers around her who were staring at her outburst, as she dug out her cell phone from her bag. The phone rung several times before it was answered by a monotone voice.  
  
"Moshi moshi, Rika speaking."  
  
"Rika-chan, I have something important to tell you."  
  
"Nani? Chiharu-chan is that you?"  
  
"Hai, now listen up, you've been neglecting Syao-kun.", Chiharu spoke quickly. It wasn't a question but a fact.  
  
"Iie, I haven't. It's just that, I've been busy that's all."  
  
"Yeah well you better un-busy yourself and make time for your boyfriend, otherwise you won't have one much longer."  
  
There was thud on the other end of the phone. "Is Syaoran seeing someone else?"  
  
Chiharu paused unsure what to say. Should she tell Rika the truth? But then she'd only be doing that because she was jealous of Sakura-chan, and it wasn't Sakura-chan's fault, and Sakura was her friend as well. She decided to lie. "Iie, not yet. But he might. Syao-kun's use to getting attention and you've been ignoring him. He won't take that well. So my advise is for you to stop studying so hard and ask your boyfriend out for a date."  
  
On the other end of the phone, Rika smiled. "You're right, Chi-chan. I'll phone him right now and organize something special for tonight. Arigatou Chi-chan."  
  
"That's ok. I'm your friend, I'm here to help.", Chiharu smiled. "Well, Ja ne."  
  
"Ja ne, Chi-chan."  
  
Chiharu punched the call end button and frowned. "I hope I did the right thing. You better appreciate this Skaura-chan."  
  
~~*~~@~~*~~  
  
So now you know who was watching Sakura and Syaoran at the soccer match. And things between Syaoran and Sakura aren't going as planned. Hmm, I guess Tai will have a chance now.   
  
Anyway please review, and if you like Beyblade, check out my BB fic, Love/Hate:Just How thin is the line? or my other CCS fics. 


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